Pampered by my three brothers: the return of the neglected heiress

Chapter 1711: Why I killed them all.

GASP!

Zoren gasped for air, just like someone resurfacing from drowning. Beads of sweat quickly formed on his forehead. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down, moistening his dry throat.

When his eyes shifted, they quickly locked with Penny's.

"Renren," she called softly, only to realize she still had to check his vitals. "Wait, I'll just "

But before she could put her plans into action or finish her remarks, Zoren reached out and grabbed her arm. He yanked her down into his embrace, his arms wrapped around her as tightly as he could.

Penny's brows knitted slightly, feeling his arms and body tremble around her. She reached up to his shoulder, her fingers patting it gently.

"It's okay," she whispered. "It's... okay, Renren. You're back."

Zoren didn't answer. He didn't even move. He simply held her as tightly as he could, closing his eyes as he hugged her closer.

"Just making sure," he whispered, his voice still shaken and low. "Just... just making sure... you're with me."

Penny pressed her lips into a thin line, not moving an inch even when his hold was tight and almost suffocating. Instead, she let him calm down, her fingers still patting his shoulder gently.

Slowly, she closed her eyes and let her body rest on his. She still watched her weight, though. She didn't even ask him right away, knowing whatever Zoren had seen in his memories was enough to shake him. Rushing him would not help either of them, and Penny agreed to this—not only for the sake of their dilemma.

If anything, Penny didn't want Zoren to remember.

Penny was aware of how heavy the weight of remembering the past could be. She and Finn knew-Jonathan and Slater also carried that burden. It may have given them some advantages in some ways, but the burden was just as heavy. She didn't want Zoren to carry the same burden, especially when she knew Zoren had gotten himself involved in something he shouldn't have.

And unlike her, Zoren would surely know more and have done more.

If not for Zoren insisting, Penny wouldn't have even agreed. But like how Zoren let her have her freedom in everything she wanted to do, she honored his insistence.

The couple stayed like that with Zoren still lying flat. In his arms was Penny.

Silence enveloped the room as neither of them spoke for the next couple of minutes. When his racing heart finally stabilized, his arms loosened around her.

Her face hovered over his, her eyes

little pale," she whispered. "I'll get you water first. Then, we can

his head mildly. Keeping his eyes on his wife, he reached out and caressed her cheek with his fingertips. He just looked at her, yet his silence was louder than any words he could say at the

moment, his eyes softening with guilt and remorse. "Would you still

mouth curled up subtly. "We already know that,

they knew that Penny

sounded more like a question from the Zoren of the first

her cheek, pressing her face into his palm. Her lips were still curled up, keeping

but the present is more important," she said quietly, before a faint gleam of playfulness

ease to his heart until

didn't, huh?" she guessed, since

"I didn't say that."

"So, we did?"

parted, but he chose to close it again. Seeing this,

she complained with a pout. "I'm dying to

low chuckle escaped him as he pulled her in and confined her in his

along with a deep exhale. "As many

convinced. However, she didn't press on the matter because she could

while, she

asked. "Or

Both.

back as he looked at

"Mhm?"

I know now why everything is the way it

pushed herself away to look at

the Bennet

and... why I killed them

II

stared back at him, not replying while

reason, she